Townhouses proposed on 7.6 acres along North Campbell Station
Developers are looking to build townhouses on 7.6 acres located off North Campbell Station Road.
As such, they are asking the property be rezoned from R-2 (General Family Residential) to R-4 (Attached Single Family Residential) “because of the R-4 allowing the attached townhome-type residences,” said Grant Berry, an engineer with Site Inc., the firm seeking to build the townhouses.
Berry approached Farragut Municipal Planning Commission at its meeting Thursday, June 21. While it took no action, since the request was a workshop item, Berry still faced resistance.
“I don’t think I’m really in favor of changing the zoning from R-2 to R-4,” FMPC member Ed St. Clair said. “I’m not really buying into transitioning into the commercial. When you look at the R-1, R-2 around that (property) now and the impact.”
“The R-4 currently would not be consistent with the Town’s Land Use Plan, so rezoning would require and amendment to that plan,” Community Development assistant director Bart Hose said. “The plan, right now, calls for that area to be very low-density residential.
“At the same time, the R-4 could serve as a transition area between that property and the commercially zoned property immediately to the south there,” Hose added. “It also would be fairly consistent with some of the zoning around it — the same mix of residential developments of various densities, so from a land use standpoint, it’s not unreasonable.”
Hose said the biggest issue with rezoning is the R-4 zoning requires access from a street that meets minimum design standards.
“Right now, that section of North Campbell Station Road (classified as minor arterial) does not meet current (road) standards (to accommodate R-4 zoning),” he said. “So, any rezoning would be conditioned on (road) improvements.
“They would probably have to do lane widening. They would have to add curb and gutter section and also the pedestrian facilities,” Hose added.
“That would be in addition to any infrastructure they have to put into the property. This property also doesn’t have sewer that’s immediately available, but it is in the area, so that (sewer line])would have to be extended.
“That would be the decision of the developer (as to) whether he could bear the costs, or not.”
Berry said the developer was aware of the utilities but not the road situation. He estimated the development would consist of between 15 to 20 units on the 7.6 acres.
The property, on the southwest site of North Campbell Station Road, is a few parcels down from Fretz Road.
“It fronts approximately 675 feet on North Campbell Station Road and currently exists as a vacant field,” Hose said. “The topography is generally gently rolling in nature with a small area of steeper topography located along the parcel’s southern property line.”
